


Knife Under the Pillow

by Nordic_Fatcheese



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, I don't know how to tag send help, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-15
Updated: 2020-07-15
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:07:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25252840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nordic_Fatcheese/pseuds/Nordic_Fatcheese
Summary: Adora still doesn't feel safe, even in Bright Moon, even with Catra. Catra is a good girlfriend and they cuddle it out.
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 100





	Knife Under the Pillow

**Author's Note:**

> First time writing or posting fan fiction, I really appreciate any feedback. The main reason I'm even posting this is because I want feedback so I can improve my writing, so please leave critique if you have any. I'll even take grammar advice, I don't think I did all the punctuation with quotations right. Also I don't know what tags to put other than like the characters.

Adora's eyes shot open. Someone was on top of her. Training took over before her mind was fully awake. In a blur she reached under her pillow and snatched her knife. She ripped the sheath off and had the blade in a guard position before she could blink.

Catra sat on the bed by her feet, eyes wide and ears flat against her skull.

They both sat motionless for a moment. Adora's muscles were tensed, her legs sticky with sweat. The knife shook in her hand. All she could hear was her heart pounding in her ears. Soon she could hear her ragged breaths. It slowly dawned on her what was happening. 

"Oh my god!" A lump formed in Adora's throat. "Catra! I'm so sorry!" She dropped the knife and shuffled forward to hug Catra. Catra took a scoot back.

"You sleep with a knife under your pillow?" Catra asked, sounding so small. Adora could see fear and concern in her eyes. Afraid for her or afraid of her, she couldn't tell. 

"I-" Adora looked at the knife laying on the sheets. Her arms were still shaking. Her legs ached like she'd just run a lap around Bright Moon. "I'm sorry." Adora fell backwards onto her pillow. Tears began to blur her vision. 

"Why?" The word was barely a whisper. Adora was silent.

"I- I don't know," she finally responded. "I have ever since I got here." Adora wiped her eyes and sat up against the back of the bed. Catra's eyes were softer now, but she still hadn't moved. 

Adora took a deep breath and tried to steady her hands. 

"Are you okay?" she asked. Catra meekly nodded her head and looked at the knife. Adora followed her gaze and felt her muscles tense again. She kicked the knife off the bed and pulled her knees up to her chin. 

"You were having a nightmare," Catra said after a pause. "I climbed on top of your legs like when we were kids." Catra stared at the knife and scabard scattered across the floor. "I guess things are different now."

"No!" Adora's head snapped up from her knees. Catra jumped a little at the intensity in Adora's voice. 

"I-" Adora's voice shook. She took a breath and let out a sigh. "Please. I'm sorry." She held out a trembling hand. "Can we-?"

Catra took Adora's hand before she could finish the question. She scooted up next to her on the bed and put her other arm around Adora's shoulder. Adora took a deep, shaking breath and managed a weary half-smile. 

"It's okay," Catra whispered. Adora took the cue and rested her head against Catra's collarbone. Catra took Adora in her arms and held her against her chest. Her tail coiled affectionately around Adora's ankle.

Adora took several shaky breaths and did her best to hold down that lump in her throat. It wasn't working. Tears rose to her eyes and she blinked them away.

"You... You can cry." Catra sounded like she was on the verge of tears herself.

Adora couldn't hold it back anymore. She buried her face in Catra's soft chest fur and let it out. She wrapped her arms around Catra and hugged her like she did when she first got her back. Catra rubbed her thumb in tiny circles at the base of Adora's back and began to purr. It helped.

"You don't need to be afraid anymore," Catra whispered. "I'm here now. I'll protect you."

"I'm She-Ra," Adora sobbed, lifting her head from Catra's shoulder. "I'm supposed to protect you."

"No." Catra looked straight into Adora's eyes. "You're Adora. Adora can be protected." Catra gently smiled. "Adora doesn't have to be strong."

Adora rested her head back on Catra's shoulder. Her cloudy gaze wandered past her towards the window. The moons shone through a cloud, leaving a patchwork pattern of shadows across the floor. The shadows shifted slowly as the wind blew the cloud past. Adora shut her eyes. It reminded her too much of a bad memory.

"We're supposed to be safe here," Adora whispered. "It _is_ safe here. So why don't I feel safe?"

Catra didn't reply. She didn't know either. She ran a hand through Adora's golden hair. 

"We'll figure it out." 

Catra's fur was so soft. Adora allowed herself to sink into it. It tickled her face and warmed her skin. Catra was always so warm. Adora's eyes started to flutter. She had always dreamed of this, falling asleep in Catra's arms. She hadn't been able to feel her fur against her face like this since they were little kids too young to be afraid of intimacy. She had never heard Catra purring this close. Adora's ear was rested on Catra's chest and she could hear her purring echoing throughout her body. It rumbled around Adora's head, muddling her thoughts and lulling her to sleep.

Adora jolted back awake. Her eyes darted from the shadows to the door, her heart pounding.

Catra's warm fingers gently brushed her cheek. Adora shot a terrified look at her, but Catra just smiled and had that dreamy look in her eye. She wasn't hiding it. Adora relaxed back into her shoulder. They were safe. They could do this now.

But it still didn't feel safe.

Catra must have felt her tension ("I can hear you thinking again, dummy") because she leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on Adora's scalp.

"Hey," Catra purred, gently cupping Adora's chin to face her. "You look out for me and I look out for you. Nothing really bad can happen as long as we have each other, remember?"

Adora practically melted into Catra's embrace. 

"You promise?"

"I promise." 

**Author's Note:**

> Catra's line "I guess things are different now" was meant as a "we've both been changed by our trauma and have to adjust to that" different, not a "we used to be closer" different. Adora definitely heard it as the latter though. They're still working on communication.


End file.
